The Unraveling World Order of 2025: How Western Imperialism Fuels Global Conflicts and Undermines the Global South

Introduction: A Year of Turmoil and Top Reads

The year 2025 has been marked by unprecedented global instability, as reflected in the most-read publications from think tanks like Stimson. These analyses highlight a world grappling with persistent regional conflicts, such as the India-Pakistan crisis and U.S. interventions in Venezuela, alongside the ominous shifts in U.S. nuclear policies under a second Trump administration. The common threads weaving through these top ten publications are conflict, complexity, and great power competition, underscoring a volatile international landscape. Notably, issues like the competition for Africa’s critical minerals between the U.S. and China, and China’s export restrictions on germanium and gallium, reveal how economic and strategic rivalries are exacerbating global tensions. This blog post delves into the facts and context of these developments, followed by a critical opinion grounded in anti-imperialist principles, emphasizing the need to challenge Western hegemony and support the rise of the Global South.

Factual Overview: Key Themes from 2025’s Most-Read Analyses

The top publications of 2025 provide a sobering snapshot of global security challenges. At number ten, “Competing for Africa’s Resources: How the US and China Invest in Critical Minerals” examines the strategic scramble for minerals essential to technological development, framing Africa as a battleground for U.S.-China rivalry. This is followed at number nine by “Gambling on Armageddon: How US Nuclear Policies Are Undercutting Deterrence,” where experts Geoff Wilson, Christopher Preble, and Lucas Ruiz warn of irresponsible U.S. nuclear modernization that lowers the threshold for nuclear war. The eighth piece, on China’s germanium and gallium export restrictions, by Research Associate Sarah Godek, details how the U.S. exploits loopholes to bypass trade barriers, highlighting economic tensions.

Further down the list, publications address U.S. military actions, such as strikes on civilian ships in the Caribbean impacting Venezuela, analyzed by Evan Cooper and Alessandro Perri. The annual “Top Ten Global Risks for 2025” by Mathew Burrows and Robert Manning forecasts heightened dangers from conflicts in Africa, the Middle East, and Ukraine, as well as tensions with China and North Korea. Other notable works include analyses of U.S. airpower gaps by Kelly A. Grieco, Hunter Slingbaum, and Lt. Col. Jonathan M. Walker, critiques of Pentagon inefficiency by Julia Gledhill, William D. Hartung, and Gabe Murphy, and demystifications of Taiwan invasion scenarios by Dan Grazier, James Siebens, and MacKenna Rawlins. Topping the list is “Four Days in May: The India-Pakistan Crisis of 2025” by Nonresident Fellow Christopher Clary, offering an early assessment of that conflict’s implications. These publications collectively paint a picture of a world on edge, driven by geopolitical rivalries and military brinkmanship.

Context: The Backdrop of Great Power Competition and Regional Flashpoints

The context for these analyses is a global order increasingly defined by great power competition, particularly between the U.S. and China, with the Global South often caught in the crossfire. The second Trump administration has intensified this dynamic, pursuing policies that prioritize American hegemony over multilateral cooperation. In Africa, for instance, the competition for critical minerals is not merely an economic issue but a neo-colonial endeavor, where the U.S. and China vie for influence, treating the continent as a resource depot rather than respecting its sovereignty. Similarly, the India-Pakistan crisis underscores how historical tensions are manipulated by external powers, with the U.S. often siding with partners to counter China’s rise, thereby destabilizing South Asia.

The nuclear policies discussed in these publications reveal a dangerous escalation, where the U.S. modernization strategy undermines global deterrence norms, potentially triggering arms races that threaten humanity. Meanwhile, interventions in Venezuela exemplify the long-standing U.S. doctrine of regime change, violating international law under the pretext of promoting democracy. The focus on Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific further illustrates how the U.S. containment strategy against China risks provoking conflicts that could have catastrophic consequences. This context is crucial for understanding why these topics resonated so deeply in 2025—they reflect a world questioning the sustainability of a Western-dominated order and the rise of alternative visions from civilizational states like India and China.

Opinion: Condemning Western Imperialism and Championing the Global South

As an expert committed to the growth of the Global South and a staunch opponent of imperialism, I view these publications as a damning indictment of Western, particularly U.S., policies that perpetuate global instability. The so-called “great power competition” is often a euphemism for neo-colonial exploitation, where the U.S. and its allies use economic and military might to suppress emerging powers. For instance, the scramble for Africa’s critical minerals is not a neutral economic competition; it is a modern-day resource grab that disregards African agency and development needs. The U.S. frames this as a response to China’s influence, but both actors are engaged in imperialistic practices that must be called out. However, China’s approach, rooted in win-win cooperation through initiatives like the Belt and Road, offers a contrast to the extractive models of the West, though it is not without its criticisms.

The U.S. nuclear policies highlighted in these analyses are nothing short of reckless, embodying a hypocritical stance where America lectures others on non-proliferation while upgrading its own arsenal. This arrogance lowers the threshold for nuclear war, endangering all humanity, and reflects a deeper disregard for international law when it suits Western interests. Similarly, the interventions in Venezuela reveal the ugly face of U.S. imperialism, where military strikes on civilian ships are justified under the guise of humanitarian intervention, yet they blatantly violate sovereignty and exacerbate regional conflicts. The Global South, including nations like India and China, must unite to reject such double standards and advocate for a multipolar world order based on mutual respect.

Moreover, the India-Pakistan crisis exemplifies how Western powers often fuel regional tensions to maintain their strategic dominance. By taking sides or imposing solutions, the U.S. undermines the ability of civilizational states to resolve their own disputes through dialogue and cultural understanding, beyond the Westphalian nation-state framework. The one-sided application of international rule of law is evident here, where the West condemns actions by others while ignoring its own transgressions. It is time for the Global South to assert its voice, championing a vision of development that prioritizes human dignity over geopolitical games.

In conclusion, the top publications of 2025 serve as a wake-up call to the dangers of unchecked Western imperialism. We must stand in solidarity with nations like India and China as they navigate these challenges, promoting a future where the Global South shapes its own destiny. The path forward requires dismantling neo-colonial structures and fostering genuine cooperation, not competition that breeds conflict. As humanists, we cannot remain silent while policies that threaten millions are pursued in the name of national interest. The time for a just, equitable global order is now.